Bruce Lee Brings Peace to Bosnia

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

From today's New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/13/international/13briefs.html):

COMING TOGETHER OVER BRUCE LEE The ethnically divided Bosnian city of Mostar has agreed to erect a new symbol of unity - a statue of the martial arts legend Bruce Lee, left, beloved of the city's Muslims, Serbs and Croats alike. The statue, cast in bronze and showing the star in a fighting pose, will be designed by a local sculptor and put up in Mostar's central square in November. Mr. Lee's widow, Linda, will be invited to attend the ceremony. A civic group in the strife-ridden city developed the idea in 2003, and recently won a $6,250 donation from a German organization to finance the project. Veselin Gatalo, a member of the organizing group, said, "This will be a monument to universal justice that Mostar needs more than any other city I know." (Reuters) Free registration required, or go to www.bugmenot.com (http://www.bugmenot.com/) to get a login with no strings attached.

Nothing says "Peace" like a short, astonishingly muscled, ass-kicking Chinese guy, I guess. All I can say is that if this works, we need to get a whole lot more Bruce Lee statues up. Like, everywhere.

EDIT: OK, after searching Google News for this, I found this rationale at MSNBC.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8586621/site/newsweek/page/2/):

"If he were from some place that is closer," says artist and writer Veselin Gatalo, "we would be asking, what was he doing during the war? What was his faith? What kind of meat did he eat?" Elsewhere in Bosnia, the monuments are "just a continuation of war by other means,” says Gatalo. But Bruce Lee will be something else. "He reminds us that skill can fight firearms, that good intentions and bravery can defeat power, corruption, violence and injustice."
-- Ed/Ace

[Tienshin]

They are going to erect that statue and after an appropriate period of reflection and community bonding has passed, the irony of the whole affair will begin to dawn on everyone.

And that's when the ass kicking will begin.

[shoujoaifan]

I doubt this will stop the fighting. But if this manages, in any small way to ease some tensions (although still pretty doubtful), then hell, go for it.

ALTHOUGH I must nitpick and point this out:He reminds us that skill can fight firearms...Uh, no, no it can't. Forgive me if this sounds overly cynical and off-topic, but no, no martial artist, no matter how skilled, can stop a bullet, and it goes without saying that people firing guns and the people getting shot at know that. The guy needs a slap, or a punch or karate chop upside the head.

But anyway, I hope the statue helps in at least some small way (not that I'm opposed to it helping in a big way of course).

[Conekiller]

I think the whole world agrees that Bruce lee, like ninjas, is totally sweet!

[Artimus Gigan]

No martial artist alive or dead could ever deflect bullets...


Bruce Lee even said that himself...

However I think a Statue of Michael Moore would have been more apporpriate, because when the shakey truce fails, you're going to need somthing large to barricade the shelter door with...

However I want one of these statues in America, I mean we can easily knock down the Statue of Liberty and replace it with a giant Bruce Lee made out of copper(new copper mind you, none of these weathered green stuff)

[Anyone00]

Maybe this statue can remind people better ways to solve their problems......


......like holding a martial arts tournament on a reclusive billionaire "legitimate businessman's" private island.

[Rover_Wow]

Here's Reuters' take on it.

Bosnian town’s symbol of unity? Bruce Lee
Statue of kung fu legend, hero to divided youth, to be erected in Mostar

Updated: 9:55 a.m. ET Sept. 12, 2005

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (Reuters)- The ethnically divided Bosnian city of Mostar has agreed to erect a new symbol of unity — a statue of kung fu legend Bruce Lee, worshipped by Muslims, Serbs and Croats.

A group of enthusiasts came up with the idea of honoring the childhood hero of the city’s ethnic groups in 2003, on the 30th anniversary of his death. They launched the project, found donors and waited a year for the city’s approval.

“We plan to erect the statue in November in the center of the city,” Veselin Gatalo, a member of the Urban Movement organization, told Reuters by telephone on Monday.

“This will be a monument to universal justice that Mostar needs more than any other city I know.”

He said Mostar, scene of fighting between Muslims and Croats in 1993-1994, needed a symbol of justice, mastery and honesty — virtues upheld by the late Chinese-American actor.

Born in San Francisco, Lee starred in several kung fu movies, including 1973’s “Enter the Dragon.” He died at the age of 32 from swelling on the brain.

A German organization agreed last year to sponsor the project with a 5,000 euro ($6,162) grant.

The statue, cast in bronze and showing the martial arts master in a typical fighting pose, will be designed by a local sculptor and put up in central Mostar.Lee’s widow, Linda, will be invited to attend the ceremony.

For years, reconciliation in postwar Mostar was slower than anywhere else in Bosnia. But the reconstruction of the city’s Old Bridge last year has helped reunite Muslim and Croat communities separated by the river.

[Chris Wood]

So how long before we put up a statue of Rocky in Baghdad?

[Mynd Hed]

So how long before we put up a statue of Rocky in Baghdad?

The boxer, or the flying squirrel?

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

The boxer, or the flying squirrel?
Both.

At the same time.

AND Bruce Lee.

-- Ed/Ace

[Artimus Gigan]

Howdy,


Both.

At the same time.

AND Bruce Lee.

-- Ed/AceI want the Bruce Lee statue to be holding a plaque that reads "WECLOME TO AMERICA, WE WILL KICK YOUR ASS"

[Anyone00]

I want the Bruce Lee statue to be holding a plaque that reads "WECLOME TO AMERICA, WE WILL KICK YOUR ASS"
I want that statue outside UN building in New York.

[Sirkenz17]

So........Bosnia was brought to peace by watching................Bruce Lee kicking somebody's ass?!:confused: :shrug: